A Pine Bluffs player gets by Kemmerer Ranger Clayton Moyles at the 2A state tournament in Casper last weekend. The Rangers, who earned their first spot in the state tournament since 2011, went 0-2 in Casper.

The Kemmerer Ranger boys’ basketball team competed in the 2A state tournament in Casper for the first time since 2011.

Kemmerer opened the tournament against Pine Bluffs, the No. 1 seed from the east, on Thursday, Feb. 28, at Casper College. After the first quarter, the Rangers were down 22–8. Kemmerer had a stronger second quarter and went into halftime down 38–19, but Pine Bluffs came back to end a huge third quarter up 64–23.

The Rangers struggled again in the fourth quarter and fell to Pine Bluffs 74–29.

Colter Brunski led the Rangers with 9 points, junior Caden Bowen added 8 and senior Tanner Plowman had 7 points. Derick Wilcox chipped in 3 points and had 7 defensive rebounds, and Clayton Moyles had 2 points and 2 steals.

The loss put the Rangers in a do-or-die situation on Friday, March 1, when Kemmerer faced off against the Glenrock Herders in the consolation round. The Rangers fought hard, but fell to Glenrock 72–49 and were eliminated from the tournament.

Brunski put up 21 points and 6 rebounds for the Rangers against Glenrock. Bowen had 9 points and 4 rebounds and Wilcox added 6 points and 7 rebounds. Moyles had 5 points and 2 steals, Plowman had 4 points and 2 steals, TC Coles added 3 points, and AQ Martinez had 1.

In the 2A boys’ state championship game, Wyoming Indian beat Pine Bluffs 69–67 in double overtime.

The Rangers finished the season with a 6–22 record.